The concept that regulatory T cells (Treg) play a key role in both development and maintenance of autoimmune response in rheumatological diseases is well accepted. In recent years, several studies analyzed Treg cell phenotype and function in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the prototypical systemic autoimmune disorder in humans. The forkhead family transcription factor FOXP3 currently repre...

Dysregulated CD4(+) T cell responses and alterations in T regulatory cells (T(reg) cells) play a critical role in autoimmune diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The current study demonstrates that removal of Bcl11b at the double-positive stage of T cell development or only in T(reg) cells causes IBD because of proinflammatory cytokine-producing CD4(+) T cells infiltrating the ...

FOXP3 is an X-linked tumor suppressor gene and amaster regulator in T regulatory cell function. This gene has been found to be mutated frequently in breast and prostate cancers and to inhibit tumor cell growth, but its functional significance in DNA repair has not been studied. We found that FOXP3 silencing stimulates homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair and also repair of g-irradiation...

Background: Tumor microenvironment is an active factor participating in immunoregulation, thereby preventing immunosurveillance and limiting the efficacy of anticancer therapies. Hypoxia as a major characteristic of solid tumors causes the expression of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α). This is a transcription factor that mediates hypoxic responses of tumor cells and involves in the express...

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes both a neoplastic disease and inflammatory diseases, including HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ) gene is encoded in the minus strand of the proviral DNA and is constitutively expressed in infected cells and ATL cells. HBZ increases the number of regulatory T (Treg) ...

FOXP3-positive regulatory T (Treg) cells are a unique subset of T cells with immune regulatory properties. Treg cells can be induced from non-Treg CD4(+) T cells (induced Treg [iTreg] cells) by TCR triggering, IL-2, and TGF-β or retinoic acid. 1,25-Dihyroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25(OH)(2)VD(3)] affects the functions of immune cells including T cells. 1,25(OH)(2)VD(3) binds the nuclear VD receptor (VDR...

The antitumor response after therapeutic vaccination has a limited effect and seems to be related to the presence of T regulatory cells (Treg), which express the immunoregulatory molecules CTLA4 and Foxp3. The blockage of CTLA4 using antibodies has shown an effective antitumor response conducing to the approval of the human anti-CTLA4 antibody ipilimumab by the US Food and Drug Administration. ...

FOXP3 is playing an essential role for T regulatory cells and is involved in the molecular mechanisms controlling immune tolerance. Although the biological relevance of this transcription factor is well documented, the pathways responsible for its induction are still unclear. The current study reveals structure and function of the human FOXP3 promoter, revealing essential molecular mechanisms o...

The transcription factor FOXP3 is essential for the formation and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs), and Tregs are essential for maintaining immune homeostasis and tolerance. This is demonstrated by a lethal autoimmune defect in mice lacking Foxp3 and in immunodysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked syndrome patients. However, little is known about the molecular basis of huma...